Diversity - a force multiplier

“Diversity in leadership and openness to new perspectives is crucial for charting the course in business.” - Dina Dublon, Member Board, Microsoft

There has been a paradigm shift, a realization that diversity and inclusion are key assets for organizations the world over. Gender inclusion brings in diversity of thought, perception, attitude and approach, leading to better strategy, decisions and overall performance. In this exceedingly fast changing business environment laden with disruptive challenges, organizations and even governments have brought to the fore, the need for gender diversity at the workplace.

The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) in its Report ‘Power of Parity 2015’ has stated that “narrowing the global gender gap in work would not only be equitable but could double the contribution of women to global GDP growth.” It further states that “A full potential scenario in which women participate in the economy identical to men would add up 26 percent to annual global GDP in 2025.”

The Constitution of India has gender equality enshrined in its Preamble and even history has reflected many women leaders who have governed commanding positions the world over. But a recent Deloitte Study ‘Women in the Boardrooms - 5th edition’ reveals that despite several countries providing quota for women by law to be on Boards to the tune of 30 to 40 percent (Malaysia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, India etc.), the actual count is much below. What emerges is that there is the realization of the impact of Diversity, there is also a focus at the highest levels, but the numbers at the corner suites are still minimal. 

The reasons attributed to such a scenario can range from low female literacy rate to stereotypes built in the system. But what is heartening is that the presence of women is there in every space now, be it at the shop floor, drill-sites, offshore production platforms, in the cockpit or the armed forces. 

The solution is a revolution in thought and action to bring about a measurable impact. Setting arbitrary targets and counting numbers can reflect misleading reports. Any number of surveys will reveal similar results. Women today need to work on themselves, realize their potential, reassess their capabilities, and reach out to achieve their dreams. Once the goal is determined, the playing field whether public sector or private sector is inconsequential. The emphasis should be on performance. 

Public Sector Enterprises in India have always had gender neutral policies and in this sector women representation is gradually increasing and the average ranges between 6 to 15 percent. But a major thrust is being given to enlarge the canvas, making it more inclusive. In some smaller public sector organizations set up in recent years, women representation has exceeded 50 percent. So although legacies cannot be changed so fast, a radical shift has been seen.

Public sector organizations have Women Development Forums focusing on creating and identifying learning opportunities for women employees in the areas of managerial skills and leadership development. Extensive measures are also taken to ensure that inclusiveness and openness are embedded at every level of functioning with the required growth and development. In fact PSUs also contribute towards opportunities and facilities for women through CSR initiatives and such interventions at the grass-root level drive the empowerment agenda. 

Women professionals have exhibited strengths in terms of the ability to perceive and understand situations, dedication, loyalty and commitment, ability to multi task, collaborative work style, crisis management skills, sensitivity in relations. Organizations need to leverage on these and build a culture that supports gender diversity with supportive career progression opportunities, mentoring and collaborative networks, and an enabling environment for its diverse workforce. Women themselves will have to write their own success stories, paving their way towards unconquered summits and raising the bar themselves.

As said by Mark Twain, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” 

Sky is the limit for women!